Blog Post 3

Technology in Special Education

I think that the use of technology in education requires students to participate when they otherwise wouldn't have physically been able to. That is the beauty of the Technology in Special Education video. Without technology, these students would have struggled and wouldn't have been able to read and speak their mind the way that they were able to with the computers. For students that have special needs and have trouble writing and reading, computers allow them to be able to manipulate information in a way that is easier for them to learn.

If we didn't have the computers and machines we have today, it would be hard for us to communicate and teach these special needs children. The technology in the video was the missing piece to solve the puzzle of teaching these kids. I think it is wonderful that machines and computers like the ones in the video exist for the children to collaborate and connect with their classmates and teachers. In order to make learning for these children possible, we must all know how to use and operate technology so that we can better our classroom for the future.

How the iPad works with Academics for Autism

The iPad is such an amazing invention. It's almost like a hand held smart board. It does almost everything and it's portable which makes it possible for special needs children to learn on their own. With the iPad, the child in the video probably felt like he was playing a game and it was fun and interactive! Not only was he having fun, but he was learning to count and write by using the iPad. It gives me chills watching that video because I love seeing children understand and learn and the iPad has made this possible for this young child with special needs.

Apple Education Apps

In my classroom, I would like to use the Art, Music, and Creativity app because it allows children to bring out their creative side. Since I am passionate about singing and I never really had the chance or opportunity to pursue it, I would want to persuade my students to pursue their passions. Many children are passionate about music and art and I could help teach them the curriculum in ways that used their passions and interests instead of trying to teach them in ways they didn't understand. For example, if someone was passionate about singing, we could use songs to help them spell words correctly or learn definitions.



This is so neat to me! I can't believe how exponentially fast technology is growing! In order to succeed in this world, this counter proves that you MUST be technologically literate. Technology is growing at a rate that we cannot comprehend and new things come out each year that will help us collaborate and connect with others so that we, as teachers, can create the best learning environment possible. I think that the point of this class is to show us how many resources and amazing tools are out there for us to use in our classrooms. We have to better our knowledge of the tools that we have to use in order to be able to teach children effectively.

How could we possible teach our students if we don't stay up to date on the methods to do so? We wouldn't be able to! That is how important technology is. With these videos showing us that technology makes learning easier, we would be foolish to not use these computers as tools. We have to learn the technology before we can teach others the basics in our classrooms.

A Vision of Students Today

This video really hit home with me. After going to school for 4 years and changing my major several different times, I really could relate to the things these students felt. When the girl held up the sign that said only 26% of the readings assigned to her were relevant to her life, it really made me think about all the things that I have read and done in college. I believe that most students feel this way and that it is an issue that shouldn't be taken as lightly as it is. The fact that most students have too much to do in every day life and HAVE to be multi-taskers is scary to me.

At the end of the video, it explains that the problems of the world today were not created by us, but they are OUR problems. We have to figure out how to do things efficiently and effectively in a timely manner. It suggests that technology could save us. Maybe if we were able to teach students in a way they could each understand and help them participate in a way that makes sense, they would have more time to live their life rather than spending so much time trying to read and understand something that could be portrayed to them in a faster and more effective way (such as a video or podcast). Technology is something we can ALL learn and teach from.